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Brandade de morue
Brandade de morue: Nîmes' whipped salt cod with olive oil, milk and garlic
Brandade is Nîmes' great Lenten dish, served on Fridays, on Christmas Eve and as a spread on toast in the bars around the Roman arena during the ferias. Salt cod is poached, then beaten with warm olive oil and milk until it turns into a pale, fluffy, garlicky cream with a gentle salty depth. Nîmes purists make it with fish, oil and milk only; many cooks elsewhere fold in a little mashed potato for a softer texture, which is optional here. The cod needs 24–36 hours of soaking in the fridge first, so plan ahead. Spread it on toasted bread, or bake it in a dish until golden and serve with a green salad. Chef's tip: keep both the oil and the milk warm as you beat them in, so the brandade stays smooth and never splits.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
To serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ⅛ lb salt cod, put it skin-side up in a large bowl of cold water, cover and leave in the fridge for 24–36 hours, changing the water 3–4 times. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not salty.
5 minStep 2: Drain the cod and put it in a pan with half of ¾ cup whole milk, enough water to cover and 1 bay leaf. Bring slowly to a bare simmer over a medium-low heat and poach for 8–10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Don't let it boil: boiled salt cod goes stringy.
12 minStep 3: Lift out the cod, remove all skin and bones and flake it into a heavy saucepan. Add 3 garlic cloves.
Step 4: Warm ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil in one small pan and the rest of ¾ cup whole milk in another, until both are warm to the touch.
Step 5: Set the cod over a very low heat and beat it hard with a wooden spoon, adding the warm oil and warm milk alternately, a tablespoon at a time, until it becomes a light, creamy, fluffy paste. The most common mistake is adding them cold or too fast, which makes it greasy or split. Fold in the mashed potato now if using.
10 minStep 6: Season with 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp white pepper and 1 pinch grated nutmeg. It should not need salt.
Step 7: To bake, heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F), spread the brandade in an oiled dish and bake for 15 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling at the edges. Or serve it warm straight from the pan.
15 minStep 8: Serve with 12 baguette or country bread for spreading, sprinkled with parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does brandade de morue take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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